WATERVILLE — Investigators are working on tips posted on the Police Department’s website to solve two bank robberies they think were committed by the same man.

Detectives also are using a list of green Subarus registered with the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles to whittle down possible suspects, police Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said Monday.

The Waterville Savings Bank of Maine on Upper Main Street was robbed last Wednesday by a masked man brandishing a large knife. Witnesses said they saw the man leaving in a green, older model Subaru hatchback.

“We do have some promising leads and we are hopeful that one of them will result in this case being solved,” Rumsey said.

The HealthFirst Federal Credit Union on Quarry Road was robbed in a similar fashion in September. The man in each of the two robberies had a big knife, was the same height and stature and wore similar clothing — including white cotton gloves and a face mask — and brought a cloth bag into the bank to put the money in.

Rumsey said the robber at the bank was in and out of the building in about a minute.

The credit union is only a short distance from the bank, and each of the robberies happened at about the same time of day.

The bank robbery Wednesday came just 48 hours after another robbery Nov. 7 at Bank of America on Main Street. In that incident, William Bruce Adamchak, 48, of Waterville, was arrested after four bystanders helped track and catch him. Adamchak remains held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Kennebec County jail in Augusta.

Rumsey said anyone can give an anonymous tips at 680-4700 or www.watervillepolice.org.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

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